This invention relates to water deflecting apparatuses and, in particular, to water deflecting apparatuses for deflecting water away from outdoor fixtures.
Outdoor electrical fixtures present a significant risk for water seeping into the walls of a building and causing damage over time. Various apparatuses have been developed in the past to try and alleviate this problem, but without complete success. One of the reasons for this is that such apparatuses are aimed more at directing water away from the fixture and are not designed to prevent water from seeping between the exterior cladding of the building and the sheathing. Typically such apparatuses include a mounting flange which is nailed to the sheathing and the cladding is placed over the mounting flange. There is a central protrusion with an aperture receiving the fixture. The protrusion deflects water away from the fixture, but potentially the water may accumulate between the cladding and the sheathing, leading to water damage of the sheathing or other building components.
Typical devices developed in the past included a basic piece which is attached to the wall sheathing of the building's structure and a cover plate which installs over the top of the base piece. Earlier patents showing similar devices include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,152; 4,920,708; 5,549,266; 6,076,310 and 5,303,522.